story by Lily Weinacht
Stratton, Colorado, native RayAnne Griffin started rodeoing five years ago. Her mom ran barrels in college and her dad rode broncs, and when RayAnne’s older brother took up the family sport, RayAnne was inspired to do the same. “My heart is all for rodeo and the relationships you make with people and your horses,” says the 14-year-old. She competes in barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying in the CJHSRA, along with the same three events plus trail course and ribbon roping in the NLBRA. “Goat tying is my favorite right now, because it’s going well and I have a good teacher. Faith Hoffman taught me how to tie goats and has helped me out.”
Along with Faith, RayAnne looks up to her older brother, JW, who rides bulls in the CSHSRA. “He helps me out a lot, and I want to be like him because he keeps rodeoing no matter what happens.” The youngest of five, RayAnne has another brother, MC, and two sisters, Katie and Casey, who enjoy riding, and prefer watching rodeo and cheering on RayAnne.
The siblings and their parents, Liz and Ray, make their home 40 miles from the larger town of Burlington, with pasture for their six horses, dogs, cows, and a cat. “I’ve been practicing quite a bit lately and riding down through our cows,” says RayAnne. “I like that we’re pretty far out from town, so we don’t have to worry about cars and I can ride wherever I want. I do goats and poles on my pony, Bobby Socks, and barrels on Sister. Bobby Socks knew poles, but I trained her on goats. I have a mini Australian shepherd puppy, Ducky, that I’ve been training, and she goes everywhere with us.” RayAnne also does 4-H, where she shows a market heifer each year.
It’s a 20 minute drive to Liberty School, where RayAnne is an eighth-grader. Out of the 68 students at the school, RayAnne and JW are the only two that rodeo. “It’s more of a farming and ranching community out here,” says RayAnne. “My favorite class is probably English. I really like writing about my horses, and animals in general. They give you great stories!” She gave up softball to rodeo in the summer, but continues to play basketball, volleyball, and run track in the 4×100 medley relay, 100 meter, and long jump.
After school, RayAnne’s favorite snack is a bowl of cereal – she’s known for eating a box a week – followed by riding horses, doing chores, and playing with her puppy. She spent spring break catching up with friends, riding, and tying goats with Faith Hoffman. “In the summer, we have fun barbecues, and I like to go to Enders Lake with family and friends,” she adds.
RayAnne plans to be a horse chiropractor when she grows up, which she’s already learning about from the chiropractor who works on her barrel horse. She’s qualified for the NLBRA finals the past five years, and finishes, “My long term rodeo goal is to make it to the WNFR, and right now I want to make it to National Junior High Finals. I’d also like to become very consistent with all of my horses in all my events.”
